Posts Tagged Mortgages
This Beaverton real estate agent is now a certified Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource.
Posted by Danny in Brokerage, Short Sales and Foreclosure on March 8th, 2010
I have just earned the National Association of Realtors certification as a Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource. This specialized training has prepared me to provide better service to my clients when seeking to purchase short sales or bank-owned properties. It has also improved my skills to help clients look to other avenues that may help them keep their home. If that is not an option, I am can provide assistance to determine if a short sale is a viable alternative to foreclosure.
Financial institutions are not in the business of holding and maintaining real estate properties. They would prefer to have these properties sold. Foreclosure auctions rarely offer the best prices for buyers and seldom provide any access to inspect the properties before the auction. Once a property fails to sell at auction, it is then called bank-owned or REO. Beaverton, Portland, and otherwise throughout Oregon, real estate markets now contain many bank-owned properties. They typically listed at better market prices than comparable properties, but purchasing from banks has certain disadvantages.
Purchasing a short sale property provides the opportunity to buy a home at competitive current market prices while helping an owner that is facing the threat of losing the home to foreclosure. The seller may be more responsive to buyer concessions than the holder of a REO. Despite a common short sale myth, the bank with the lien on the property is not a party to a purchase transaction. Approval of the original lender is just another contingency for the sell to be completed.
As a real estate agent listing a short sale property, I insure that all possible steps have already been taken for the lien holder and any other lenders with an interest in the property to approve a reasonable offer after the buyer and seller sign a purchase agreement.
If you have any questions or interests in short sales or foreclosed properties or know a home owner that I may assist, please contact me at 503-267-8370 or at dannyshepard@oregon.

Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program (HAFA) goes into effect on April 5, 2010
Posted by Danny in Short Sales and Foreclosure on February 19th, 2010
If you have questions concerning this program or know a distressed home owner in need of viable options, please contact me at:
dannyshepard@oregonfirst.com
503-267-8370
Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program (HAFA)
On November 30, 2009, the Treasury Department released guidelines and forms for its new Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program (HAFA). HAFA is part of the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP). HAFA provides incentives in connection with a short sale or a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure (DIL) used to avoid foreclosure on a loan eligible for modification under the HAMP program. Servicers participating in HAMP are also required to comply with HAFA. A list of servicers participating in HAMP is available at MakingHomeAffordable.gov.
HAFA applies to loans not owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, which will issue their own versions of HAFA in coming weeks.
HAFA is a complex program, with 43 pages of guidelines and forms, designed to simplify and streamline use of short sales and deeds-in-lieu of foreclosure. HAFA:
- Complements HAMP by providing a viable alternative for borrowers (the current homeowners) who are HAMP eligible but nevertheless unable to keep their home.
- Uses borrower financial and hardship information already collected in connection with consideration of a loan modification.
- Allows borrowers to receive pre-approved short sales terms before listing the property (including the minimum acceptable net proceeds).
- Prohibits the servicers from requiring a reduction in the real estate commission agreed upon in the listing agreement (up to 6 percent).
- Requires borrowers to be fully released from future liability for the first mortgage debt (no cash contribution, promissory note, or deficiency judgment is allowed).
- Uses standard processes, documents, and timeframes/deadlines.
- Provides financial incentives: $1,500 for borrower relocation assistance; $1,000 for servicers to cover administrative and processing costs; and up to $1,000 for investors for allowing a total of up to $3,000 in short sale proceeds to be distributed to subordinate lien holders (on a one-for-three matching basis).
- Requires all servicers participating in HAMP to implement HAFA in accordance with their own written policy, consistent with investor guidelines. The policy may include factors such as the severity of the potential loss, local markets, timing of pending foreclosure actions, and borrower motivation and cooperation.
The program does not take effect until April 5, 2010, but servicers may implement it before then if they meet certain requirements. The program sunsets on December 31, 2012.
Source: http://www.realtor.org/government_affairs/short_sales_hafa
Oregon Veteran programs information has been added to this site.
Posted by Danny in Brokerage, Real estate, Refinancing, Veterans on January 26th, 2010
I have posted several veteran programs links to this site, including both home loan programs from the national Veterans Administration and the Oregon VA. I recently took advantage of the IRRRL program, shaving one percent off our own mortgage with no closing costs thanks to the help of Kelly Parkman at the Northwest Mortgage Group. There are also links for veterans from the department of Housing Urban Development, US Department of Agriculture, and the Small Business Administration. Counseling information for veterans possibly facing foreclosure has also been listed. Finally, there is information for veterans and their spouses to determine their eligibility to use a VA home loan or to determine if their home purchases, renovations, or improvements are eligible under the VA home loan program.
If you have any questions or need assistance in utilizing these programs, please contact me at:
dannyshepard@oregonfirst.com
503-267-8370
Buyer Agent Representation
Posted by Danny in Brokerage, Mortgages, Real estate on October 26th, 2009
What is buyer agent representation? Why would someone buying a home want a real estate agent to represent them? How much does it cost?
Buyer agent representation is when a real estate broker assists and represents a buyer in a real estate transaction. Representation is agreed upon in a written contract between the buyer and agent. A Buyer’s Agents performs many duties, including: helping buyers identify what their wants and needs are, locate and show properties that will fulfill their wants and needs, submit and negotiate the best possible offer to the seller on behalf of the buyer, help the buyer evaluate counteroffers, perform all communications and follow-up inquiries with the seller, and inform buyers of any actions that are needed to insure the transaction closes as smoothly as possible. Other duties of buyer agent representatives include educating buyers on: the real estate market, financing, trends, neighborhoods, and providing informational sources on these and other topics. A buyer’s agent may also suggest a list of potential real estate service providers, such as lenders and home inspectors; but not to select service providers without expressed consent from the client.
A real estate agent is more informed than even the most determined and motivated buyers. Certainly, buyers should educate themselves, but they can only benefit by having a real estate professional working for them. An agent representing a buyer works exclusively for the buyer’s benefit. Any real estate agent in Oregon should provide a pamphlet from the state that defines an agent’s duties and responsibilities in representing buyers and sellers.
Finally, a buyer seldom needs to pay for the services of an agent to represent them. That is correct. The cost of services is typically free, to the buyer. Sounds too good to be true? This is because the selling agent is typically willing to split a portion of the commission received by the seller at closing. This amount is predetermined, typically by percentage of commission, and is provided as part of the listing information on the home for sale in the multiple listing service. By cooperating with the selling agent, he or she is willing to pay for the buyer’s agent for the services. The buyer’s agent conducts all business on good faith and duty as required by personal integrity and real estate law, but only owes loyalty to the buyer that the agent represents.
The Realtors & Industry Networking Group of the Portland, OR area
Posted by Danny in Brokerage, Mortgages, Real estate, Refinancing on September 27th, 2009
This week, I attended my first large networking opportunity with TRING, The Realtors & Industry Networking Group. The Summa Real Estate Group hosted the event as a grand opening to their new office in Beaverton, OR. Besides having the opportunity to meet with other real estate agents from other brokerages, I was also introduced with title and escrow agents, mortgage bankers, and other professionals in the real estate field. The first-time home buyer’s credit, mortgage refinancing, and of course the current market were popular topics.
Veterans Refinancing with a Streamline Loan
Posted by Danny in Brokerage, Mortgages, Real estate on September 23rd, 2009
I am learning how an Interest Rate Reduction Refinancing Loan (IRRRL), more commonly known as “Streamlining Loans”, can help a veteran lower their mortgage payments by paying less interest over the life of the loan. Some are offered with zero closing costs; not zero money out of pocket, but no additional costs for the veteran towards closing on the new loan. These loans are designed to help veterans that are already utilizing their VA loan from a period of higher rates to take advantage of currently-better interest rates. Many mortgage companies offer these loans, but the best will seek out “zero-closing costs” at an improved, but not best rate, to save a great deal of money. The advantage to the lender is that they gain a creditor with a proven record of making on-time mortgage payments and they will offer a competitive interest rate in comparison to loans made before today’s record lows. There benefit can be maximized by not skipping any monthly payments and providing funds to keep the escrow account for insurance and property taxes to date.













